As we’ve bid farewell to 2017, a brand new year opens for us new opportunities to strive to become a better version of ourselves. Reflecting on how we want to improve our lives, we are also called to look into how our decisions affect our immediate surroundings, including the environment.

The choices we make every day from what we eat to what we buy impact the one earth that we live in.

Here are five habits to consider in our lifestyle choices:

A coastal clean-up volunteer picks up hundreds of plastic straws found on the Manila Bay coastline – By Nikki Almazar

1. Say NO to disposables. Say YES to reusables!

Plastic bags in groceries, plastic utensils for take-out meals, plastic cups for coffee and plastic straws for drinks. We use these plastic disposables only once and discard them after use, eventually ending up in landfills, in our oceans and unfortunately being ingested by animals. Try to refuse plastic use and practice BYO or Bring Your Own. Bring your own bag when shopping, bring your own bottle to refill your drink or use your own spoon and fork for take-outs.

2. Cut down on junk.

Not only it is healthy, it’s also good for Mother Nature! Food that comes in packaging are usually processed or artificial. Choose fruits over chichirya for snacks, eat freshly cooked food over fast food or learn to prepare your own food. Not only are you cutting down on plastic packaging, you’re also trimming down excess calories!

Stainless straws help keep plastic straws out of our seas, and makes an impression on others too

3. Choose products with natural ingredients.

Most products these days contain artificial ingredients that are harmful to our health and the environment. Shift to more environment-friendly products that are made up of natural or organic ingredients and materials.

4. Make your own household products.

Try to be more resourceful and creative by making your own household supplies using a few simple ingredients. Did you know that you can use baking soda as toothpaste, shampoo, laundry detergent, dirt scrub and many more? Discover the wonders of baking soda and white vinegar for your household cleaning needs and say goodbye to toxic chemicals. Learn how to make DIY home supplies and save money!

Bamboo toothbrushes help keep plastic toothbruses out of our waterways and beaches

5. Buy local.

Choosing local products over imported ones means lesser carbon footprint in the transport of goods while also creating a better demand on our local produce. By choosing local, we also support our local communities, farmers and artisans who take pride in the craft and labor that they painstakingly do.

By keeping in mind our environmental impact in our daily lifestyle, we also choose what is good for us. Remember that saving Mother Earth is ultimately saving ourselves and the future generations.

Take a bigger step for the environment this year! Be a member of the Haribon Foundation and join exciting conservation activities like tree planting, coastal cleanup and many more.

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